Stewart's August passenger numbers slip

STEWART AIRPORT — The Port Authority's four airports offering passenger service had their best combined month ever in August, but Stewart International Airport didn't have much to celebrate.

BY Michael Randall

STEWART AIRPORT — The Port Authority's four airports offering passenger service had their best combined month ever in August, but Stewart International Airport didn't have much to celebrate.

Not only were Stewart's passenger numbers down in August compared to a year ago, it was the fifth straight month that Stewart showed passenger attrition from 2011 to 2012.

Not even JetBlue reinstating its seasonal second daily flight to Orlando, Fla., from the end of June through Labor Day could reverse the decline.

The numbers could drop further when September figures are released, as that was the month when Delta ended its two daily flights from Stewart to Atlanta.

Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports all were singled out for some individual achievements of their own during August in Port Authority's news release about August passenger volumes, but Stewart was conspicuous in that it was not specifically mentioned.

Port Authority representatives were not available to comment, but the agency has repeatedly stressed it is investing in Stewart for the long run and is not concerned about short-term shortcomings.

Overall, the four airports handled 10.8 million passengers in August. That was up 10.2 percent from August 2011 and broke a 5-year-old record for the busiest month ever.

Stewart handled 37,758 passengers in August, down 8.4 percent from 41,216 in August 2011. Stewart's passenger numbers declined by 1.5 percent in April, 8.9 percent in May and June, and 10.3 percent in July, when compared to the corresponding month a year ago.

Among the reasons the Port Authority cited for the falling Stewart numbers is the fact that JetBlue, Stewart's leading carrier, switched from 158-seat planes to 100-seat planes for its Orlando and Stewart flights back in the spring.

Airlines prefer to fly planes with most, if not all, seats filled. JetBlue spokeswoman Alison Croyle said the airline found the Stewart flights performed better with the smaller planes.